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In Silico: Numerical Simulations in Biomedical Engineering

Students at Ohio State University can take a course on numerical simulations in biomedical engineering with Richard T. Hart. In the course, they will learn how to use computer modeling to solve biomedical engineering problems. Hart is now providing anyone who is interested in this application area with three video tutorials from the course via the Ohio State University iTunes U page.

In Silico Biology Experiments Save Time

In biology, experiments are often performed in living organisms, referred to as “in vivo”. Since 1989, many experiments that would formerly have been conducted in vivo, have been performed “in silico“; using computer-aided simulation. By running biomedical experiments virtually, researchers can save both time and money. Appropriately, Hart summarizes his course as “finding in silico solutions to in vivo problems”.

Biomedical Engineering Tutorials

You don’t have to be an Ohio State student to appreciate these biomedical engineering videos. They are thorough and to-the-point, guiding the viewer through the simulation process from model set-up to analysis of results. The video tutorials seek to demonstrate how computer modeling can be used to solve biomedical engineering problems.

The following three models are built and solved in the videos:

Total hip implant

Collagen gel

Pulsing blood flow in an artery

As you will see, finite element analyses (FEA) can be used to find numerical solutions for integral balance equations involved in biologically-based phenomena. If you have COMSOL Multiphysics, you can follow Hart’s tutorials and try building the models on your own.